


Wandertale!

by dusty_hiccups



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, and ridiculous puns, dis one, i dunno, if you only read one work, not sure if anyone will die, probably someone will die, there's just a lot of sand
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-12 22:51:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7126450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dusty_hiccups/pseuds/dusty_hiccups
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wandertale is an alternative to the well-known and beloved RPG where, instead of being trapped underground, the society of monsters are forced into an immense, arid climate. With the threat of drought on the rise Frisk must not only save these desperate people, but do so without losing themselves!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. To be.

Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS.

One day, war broke out between the two races.

After a long battle the humans were victorious.

They sealed the monsters in a vast desert with a magic spell.

Legends say that those who journey through the dunes never return.

 

The sea was roaring. The grains of its mass whipped about the landscape as the storm showed almost no sign of stopping. The winds were almost unbearable to the figure out in them. Their eyes were forced shut as they walked around aimlessly for who knows how long. The gritty sea scraped against their skin and left an expression of woe. Their hair was nearly imbedded with sand, the winds showing no sign of ending. But their soul… the essence of themselves laced around their neck in a locket… It refused to allow them to stop there, and thus they themselves wouldn’t cease.

 

They pulled up their scarf to protect their nose and mouth from the harsh storm, a loose and almost frail jacket and hood moving along with it. The sand brushed passed them so thickly, color was muted to the point of misconception. From the outside, they were a dark mass trudging through terrible tempest, suffering in being forced to hear the hissing of the sand pass their ears. 

There was more that they could hear, something incoherent. But before they had the opportunity to really listen, the winds hushed themselves, fading away and the sea was calm again. 

They kept their eyes shut, appearing to be waiting for something. Soon though, they opened their windows, still burdened by sand and fatigue. The child appeared to be a juvenile bordering the age of 12, maybe 13. With the sandstorm vanished, a brighter view of their attire was made clear. They bore a pair of boots, even still faded with a sun-bleached tan yet sturdy. They almost ambled in their russet cargo knee-pants as they’d just really gotten to walk normally again. Their locket dangled in front of their basic sky blue tee, a wide horizontal stripe of lilac accompanying the refreshing color. Their gray cloak and brown scarf idled, not becoming still entirely. The garments flowed smoothly through the now calm winds. A dry branch in their right hand. A spool of bandages in their left pocket.

 

The child looked a bit offset from where they were headed and stood in awe at the sight. The Desert. Its dunes stretched across the horizon and its peaks stood in their beauty, being sculpted to what looks like centuries. And even so, unbroken flowing and curving hills existed so pure. Columns of sandstone were erected just before the child, towering just above their heads as they walked forward. These, what appear to be, supporting pillars seemed to be the only thing left from a society that existed before their moment of being there. They stared at them with curiosity and honest pleasure. 

A break in the quiet! A voice was heard mere moments after the child had caught glimpse of the area around them.

“Howdy!” The voice cheered resembling what sounded like a creature of fae. The child was confused but soon realized that the voice was coming from a source below them. It was a cactus, not any bigger than a gallon jug. And the face of this plant being its flower. The actual face of this plant had eyes full of wonder. His smile was consistent of content, from cheek to cheek. And it spoke! “I’m Flowey, Flowey the Cactus Flower!”, he said. “By golly, you seemed to be a little lost friend. Let little Flowey show you how things work here.” He explained, his cheeks getting fuller as his giddy laughter continued almost seamlessly from his lips. They furrowed their brow, tilting their head to the side as an unsettled look was upon their face. “You see that heart around your neck, that’s your-” With a step to their left, the juvenile interrupted his speech by walking around him. Flowey continued to talk as the child passed, but their cheery expression soon changed as they ignored him. “W-... hey!” He shouted, turning to face them as they passed. “What do you think you’re doing?” Flowey asked, flustered with anger and confusion. 

The child looked over his shoulder, waving back at him.

*They said wanderers get lost now and again, but they eventually find their way. 

*They said they’d be just fine. 

A sense of uncertainty and peril fell over the atmosphere as the plant was almost dead silent at this point. Suddenly, the land behind the child began to shift as the sand caved in only for a coarse and prickly set of vines to begin crawling their way to this innocent youth. A smile grew on this flower’s face yet again, reaching even wider than before.

“Listen… Maybe you don’t understand.” Flowey’s voice crooned almost eerily. The vines took to a faster pace, growing closer and closer to the child. Now the face of this plant of ghastly, resounding no sense of compassion or care. His beady eyes pierced through the air as they stared the child, his mouth bearing a glassy set of razor-sharp teeth. “In this world…” The vines dropped into the ground causing the child to jump. They flicked their head back, only to feel the hazardous rumbling of something monstrous below them. 

Suddenly, bursting from the ground were two prodigious pillars that soon towered over the young one. They panicked, nearly losing their balance in the sand that was being displaced. They struggled to stand strong as terror caused their knees to become weak. They took hurried steps backwards but to no avail. Their right ankle was snagged on a pair of barbed vines. With every tug they took at the anchor, they winced in pain, feeling the spines dig deeper into their skin. The color of crimson and grain staining the tendrils, maniacal laughter soon ensued. Flowey reverbed an unbearable cackle, his voice carrying across and blurring together with the echoing in his initial chuckling. 

They flicked their head up at the two towers, eyes wide with fright. “Now… DIE.” Flowey strained through his crooked lips. 

The forest green columns soon leaned backwards, the hissing of fibers snapping and twisting emitting from their sides. The thorns vibrated, at it was at this point that all forms of hope or confidence fled from the child’s expression. The thorns shot out at a blazing speed, but there was nothing that the child could do, besides shout for help.

A blur in their vision… it was just before the child closed their eyes shut. Metallic clanging shimmered in front of them, and as far as they could tell none of the ammunition that had released didn’t connect. The sense of dread was siphoned from the air. The next presence before them made no sound, but emitted an atmosphere filled with less malice. They shuddered, hesitating in interacting with the cold being before them. But there was nothing holding them back from curiosity filling their mind. Nervous and almost shivering, they opened their eyes yet again, surprised by their rescuer. 

His head was bleached white. It was… chalky in appearance. But the sun did not shine off of the cranium, implying there wasn’t any skin. Their face was void of color, however relaxed in expression. The juvenile breathed softly, focusing on whatever they could conclude from this view alone. But looking over his shoulder, his existence was given meaning. A lone eye socket stared at the child and a source of light reflected off the back of its non-existing retina. The source indeterminable as the sun couldn’t possibly be concentrated to such a degree. Nor could it have change to such a brilliant and almost malicious blue. The child gasped when he turned to face them. Rather than another eye socket to receive, the crevasse was covered by a thick linen that stretch from the bottom of his chin to the back of his head. It was askew to the right of being vertical. The mouth was covered by a scarf of a similar material, nearly madded but resonate with the same sandy brown. He bore a cobalt blue puffy jacket, its shoulders an alternative deep sky blue, and its collar a bright yellow. His exposed midsection revealed an aged, almost ashen ribcage, faint and obscured. The channels of bone curved down to his spine and rusty-brown slacks; the pants worn out by the barren land. 

During this observation, the child must have missed something as the skeleton was staring at them tilting his head. They had come back to reality, realizing that Flowey had gone and the child had a patient and idle monster gazing at them. He stretched his hand out, cloth clinging on and through the palm. He seemed to only want to assist the child, but their position changed suddenly. They jolted backwards in a panic, stepping backwards with their injured foot. A cry of pain followed suit, the child furrowed their brow, and whimpered for a moment. He relaxed the once bare, accepting hand. Perhaps it was the sight of the uncultivated, ghastly figure or the distrust of not hearing a single word coming out of his mouth. But the child knelt, leaning back, and cowering.He sighed, still keeping his hand out. 

In a laid back and almost standoffish tone, he said, “look… i’m the one for jokes. but i’m not kidding when i say you’ll lose yourself out here alone.” The child collected themselves, staring a bit more calmly. Still kneeling on the ground, they straightened their back and listened further. He smiled under the cloth wrapped about his jaw, asking, “so from one wanderer to another…” He stretched his arm out more confidently, “shake my hand, why don’tcha?” The child gave a soft grin, reaching out to grab the hand of the creature. 

But a strange feeling, not of bone but… rubber met across the palm of the child. They were shaken up by the absurd and comical gag they’d fallen for; looking at the child’s grasp with the skeleton’s. In the middle of the handshake, a whoopie cushion slowly but surely ending the noise of breaking wind. The skeleton chuckled, his frame convulsing in laughter. The child smiled back, delayed but just as strong. They shook their head, crinkling their nose as the skeleton said, “whoopie cushion prank. get’s ‘em every time.” The skeleton leaned in placing a hand to block his words from an invisible audience. “or at least those who know how to take a joke when it’s handed to them.” He whispered, closing his exposed eye. This succeeded in making the child laugh even more, their shoulders bouncing slightly. It seemed that relief had finally taken hold of the young one. They practically beamed with happiness. Whatever feeling of despair that had drawn its shade was lifted entirely. And taking this, the skeleton introduced himself.

“i’m sans. sans the skeleton.”

They dipped into a soft bow; thanking him for his generous act. Sans chuckled a bit, hands still stuffed inside his pockets. “why so modest? couldn’t just leave a kid to death. especially one with a sense of humor like yours.” This juvenile stood straight once more, conceiving just how non-chalant this new acquaintance of theirs was. The child attempted to step forward only to limp and grit their teeth. Glancing at their left foot, Sans hummed in concern when he saw blood trickling from multiple scrapes and punctures all about their left ankle. The fluid had stained their sock, coloring it a deep garnet. Sans gazed straight ahead for a few moments, then looked back to the child. They grunted in eureka, pulling out the spool of bandages that was inside their pocket. They ensconced themselves onto the loose turf, being mindful of not getting anymore sand that wasn’t already in their wounds. Sans checked themselves for water, but he stopped in the middle of it, reminded that skeletons don’t need water. The child breathed briskly through their nostrils as the sand dug into their wounds. Once wrapped well, they got to their feet, still in a limp. With a strong look in their eyes, they grinned in confidence. 

“wow, what a trooper.” Sans said, his eye socket still letting off a easygoing vibe. He rolled his shoulders once, pausing for a bit. “but that ain’t no way to leave a scrape like that.” He added, looking off to the side. He exhibited a bit of thought before giving off a wide grin. “i know someone, she’s off in the east. really sweet. she can heal your wounds.” Sans explained, shifting his hands within his pockets. He took a small step to the side before facing away from the sun. The child stood beside him, staring out onto the lengthy trek ahead of them. Sans took note of this, nudging them on the shoulder. “don’t worry, kid. the trip ain’t gonna take long.” Both of them started walking along, the juvenile sighing as they trudged up the peak that Sans was climbing. Even Sans himself was appearing a bit exhausted, letting out a yawn. He stood in place before shaking his head and saying, “sorry. not used to walking the whole way.” This statement made the child furrow their brow, most likely due to the fact of there being a time where the creatures down here didn’t walk to their destinations. The juvenile got comfortable either way, shrugging their shoulders and sighing. 

An hour or two passed as the two of them travelled, the child listening in to the lengthy stories that Sans had to offer. They paid attention to the multitude of jokes, puns and tabs he’d acquired over the years. Then again, there wasn’t much for them to do besides being attentive on this journey. They began travelling uphill as Sans was finishing up his story. “...and that’s why you don’t feed sand to a lizard.” He remarked, looking to the kid. The child began to amble, pulling up their ashen hood to keep the sun off of them. They groaned holding onto their elbows as they were barely crossing their arms. With their head down they breathed unsteadily. 

*They said they needed water. 

Sans nodded his head, fingertips tapping the inside of his pockets. Whenever they reached the top of incline, the two of them stood on a peak, Sans insisted, staring out onto the horizon, “well... check out the view.” 

They were struggling to keep up with Sans’ pace, dragging along the stick their held in their grasp. Leaving a trail in the sand and trickling down the hillside, that whimsical delicacy was nothing in comparison before the child’s eyes. The sun barely broken from the grasp of the afternoon, shining its rays onto the area of an oasis. The waters were glistening in the sunlight and its discovery caused their eyes to grow wide.

*They said they’d only heard of such sights in stories of yore.

“well, just ‘cause it was in the past, doesn’t mean it can’t show up in the present.” Sans chuckled, leaning to his left. He shifted his weight, causing him to slide down the slope everso slightly. “come on, kid. she lives just by the oasis.” He explained, picking up speed as he moved smoothly down and across the hill. His posture did not falter, nor did his feet. With such simple movements and slackened stance, Sans made it look like anyone could glide through the waves of what anyone would call an endless ocean of sand. They did their best to try and compete with Sans, adjusting their body weight in order to get the right momentum. Alas, in their attempts them simply lost their balance. They tumbled down the hill; sand being spit up in result of their fall. Eventually, they stopped themselves from rolling and just stared straight forward. The used their side to slide down more smoothly and made it to the bottom a little bit after Sans. 

Sans turned to see the child digging themselves out of the sand. He let out a small laugh and said, “you’re falling for me? but we hadn’t even been on our first date.” The youth got to their feet, brushing off the dust from their jacket. They were a little embarrassed by the comment, but didn’t have enough energy to stay that way. Flicking their head up, they tried to catch sight of a house or hut, only to see nothing. They were puzzled, thirsty and tired. Their brow was furrowed.

*They asked where the house might be. 

Sans walked forward, holding his arms forward and replied with, “hold on kid.” Sans took his steps deliberately and carefully; nearing the side of the body of water. The child followed behind, staring at the lush green next to them. They breathed at of their mouth for a second, probably imagining that water meeting to their lips. But they didn’t dare touch it, lest someone… or something be perturbed. They hadn’t seen any other human around, and it was a 50% chance that this monster wasn’t kind. Sans eventually stopped, tapping on something. But there was nothing to be seen. Sans shouted out, “hey, caretaker. lend an ear, i have someone who needs a drink.” A shifting in whatever stood in front of Sans took place. There’s a hum, and soft shutter before the sound of a door opening left the air silent. It had come from the other side of this imperceptible building, and something had come just around the bend. 

She was dressed in a long white gown, an icy blue emblem stretched wide across the center. Golden jewelry was wrapped about her wrists; as far as you could see through the sleeves. With a golden tikka spread wide across the forehead to match the bracelets, her brilliant blue hijab brought clarity to the child’s eyes. Horns peaked through the top of the hijab, their owner resembling that of a goat distinctly through the pupils of her eyes. “Yes Vagabond?” She wondered, referring to the skeleton before her, but she laid her eyes on the child next. She showed a soft frown, saying, “You poor child. So young… I am Toriel: Caretaker of the Oasis.” She stretched her arm out towards the clear water, stating, “Please drink what you need.” 

The child took no hesitation in running out towards the oasis, panting in anticipation of the water’s cool touch. And there was no disappointment there. When they cupped the water into their hands, a sigh of bliss relief expelled from their mouth. They took a drink and another. They drank to their heart’s content, but took time to admire their surroundings as well. As they did so, they couldn’t help but to feel something. It filled them, making their eyes open in awe. It was something almost indescribable. It could only be labelled as a feeling of determination. They would remember this oasis. They looked back to try and ask Sans where they might find it if needed again, but when they did, the only one left standing there was Toriel.

*They asked where Sans had gone. 

“Well, that’s Sans by nature. He doesn’t stay in one place for very long. As soon as he’s done with his business in one location, he disappears and is off to the next one. That’s why I call him Vagabond.” She explained, standing next to the child. She breathed in the warm air while the child looked out at all the life before them. To think that in a place so dry and hopeless, life could find it’s way. Everything about this seemed so right. So… safe. Toriel held out her hand, saying, “Come, my child. I’ll take you inside.” The juvenile looked up at the kind smile that this monster offered and took her hand. They both stood, walking inside Toriel’s home.

It wasn’t large, but there were two rooms throughout the entire home. Its walls were lined with solid bricks of sandstone and circular in nature. All except for the furnishing and door frames, everything was made entirely out of sandstone. The slight glint from the sandstone shimmered as a set of crystals embedded within the walls allowed the room to illuminated. But they did not give off any heat, nor smoke. Just a warm glow that invited the child into the cozy cottage-like house. They were standing a little bit past the door as Toriel said, “Please sit wherever you like.” They sat on one of the cushions in the center of the room, feeling the material of the rug just under their seat. Toriel gave a genial smile, continuing on with, “You’re in luck! I’ve just finished baking some namoura in the oven.”

*They tilted their head, asking what namoura was.

Toriel looked to the child, giggling slightly while putting on oven mitts that were lying on a counter in the kitchen. “It’s my specialty. I got the semolina just this morning, so it should still be fresh!” Not far from them, she pulled out a pan from the oven. The dessert was simple in design and ingredients, but it filled the room with a scent so delightful, it caused the juvenile to sigh blissfully. 

*They said it smelled marvelous!

She brought two clay plates, a few squares of the confection were laid out on both and she placed the plates on the table close to the floor. Sitting on the side perpendicular from them, Toriel insisted, “Go ahead, try some. I even put in some nutmeg.” The juvenile grabbed one of the pieces, taking a small bite timidly. Their eyes illuminated in wonder, gasping slightly. They took another bite. And another! Finishing off that piece, Toriel stated, “My, it seems you’ve taken a liking to my cooking.” They nodded their head, laughing in excitement. They picked up another piece, content with the simple tastes and fragrance of the dish. The child brushed the side of their mouth, causing the crumbs that collected there to dribble out onto the floor. 

*They asked if Toriel had something they could save the last few pieces in.  
Toriel was slow in eating, she sat blinking at the question and then nodded her head. She said, “There’s a knapsack on the desk, in the room down the hall. It should be on your right.” The child acknowledged the answer, excusing themselves and walking into the room. At first glance, the room was just a child’s bedroom. But the longer the child stared, the more they observed. A crate, filled to the brim with dusty children’s shoes; all varying in size. A bed; its sheets muted in color and a small dip where a body would lie peacefully. There were picture frames on the walls and on the desk, void of any image. The child stood there for a moment, taking it all in as their facial expression stayed… firm. Once their eyes spotted the medium sized burlap-like sack on the desk, they walked towards it. Toriel soon followed behind, stating, “Before you plan on going anywhere, I saw signs of a dust storm happening tonight.” She paused as the child turned to face her. “I’m sure you’re tired from your journey here… You should stay here for the night. It’s dangerous to wander around after dark. Especially for a human child.” She explained, holding her hands together. The child had walked a long way, and had gone through a lot. They rubbed their eyes remembering all that they had experienced and… that pain. Their injuries retained from that run-in with Flowey. They quickly checked their ankle only to find that there were no gashes or bruises of any kind! Their eyebrows rose in surprise, while Toriel hummed softly. “Alright. Off to bed. You’ll need your rest.” The child bobbed their head with fatigue. They crawled onto the twin-sized mattress and before Toriel could get a quilt to cover them with, they were fast asleep. Toriel placed her hand on her chest, whispering something to herself. 

“As your host, human, I will care for you. I will give you a happy home here. I will… I will care. As I did for the ones before you.” She left the child as they were, quiet and at peace.

 

***

Sometime during the night, the child was stirring. The wind billowed outside, sand scraping against the sides of the house. It wasn’t the wind that was keeping them from slumber however. There was something else. Someone… calling to them, it seemed. They opened their eyes, whatever color in them blank and dull. They drew themselves up from the sheets, shoulders drooped and head low. Swinging their feet over the edge of the bed, they began to walk out of the room and towards the front door, muttering something incoherent. Suddenly, a hand clasped onto their shoulder. It felt… cold and hard. They looked over their shoulder only to see a familiar face. It was Sans, staring at them dead in the eye, his eye socket pitch black.

“go back to bed, kid.” He muttered in a tone more serious than before. They shook themselves out of their trance, nodded their head, and complied with Sans’ instructions. They headed back to the room; facing away from Sans. They didn’t question how he’d gotten in there, let alone how he knew they were trying to leave. They stopped, looking over their shoulder to find Sans nowhere to be found. 

A vagabond indeed…

They brought themselves back to the bed, covering up and crinkling the sheets as they held on tightly. Their grip didn’t loosen throughout the night, as the voice kept beckoning for them to follow. They practically forced themselves to stay in the covers.

*The child told themselves… to stay.

***

The storm had passed and dawn was approaching. The child did not rest well, but they did rest. They arose from bed, hair slightly matted on one side. They got to their feet, a thought crossing their mind. Right when they went to carry it out, it was already done for them. Inside of their knapsack on the desk, a large piece of namoura was packed away inside as well as a large canteen of water. They smiled at the sight, strapping the bag onto their back. The child stepped outside of the room, finding Toriel reading a book while leaning against the wall. The child sat beside her, Toriel noted their presence. “Oh! You’re awake, I could barely hear you walk by.” She said, smiling at them. The child smiled back, looking out onto the living room. Toriel continued, still reading the novel set in front of her. “I want you to know that… I’m really glad to have someone here. There are so many sights I want to show you. There’s this spot where the sun sets so perfectly.” The child lifted their head, most likely imagining these things in their mind. But the next statement caused them to pay close attention. “I’ve also prepared a curriculum for your education. This may come as a surprise to you, but I have always wanted to become a teacher.” She said, not breaking sight of the book she was delving into. The child stared at Toriel, their smile being completely faded at this point. “... well, maybe that isn’t too surprising… still.” She said, closing her book momentarily. She looked to the juvenile and hummed, “I am glad to have you living here.” But, probably to her surprise, she saw a sense of mistrust in the child’s eyes. She asked them, “I’m sorry… do you need something?” 

*Their bangs hanging over their eyes, they asked when they were going home.

Toriel readjusted her sitting position and shook her head, as if she misheard them. “Wh-... what do you mean? This is your home now.” ...The child did not remain silent and interrupted her even.

*They said that home isn’t a place where you’re trapped. They said that home isn’t a place where you’re just another child waiting to be replaced by another. 

Toriel stared down the hall, seeing the crate of shoes in the child’s room. She focused back in on them, stating, “You feel… trapped--... You misunderstand. I am a caretaker. I do not wait for a human child to come just to push them aside. I do my best to make sure that humans that come here stay out of harm’s way.” 

*They asked why there weren’t any children here for them to meet. They asked where those humans went.

Toriel paused for a moment, quiet in her thoughts as she appeared to be searching through her mind. She murmured the next words softly and earnestly with her head down. “Every human that journey’s through here meets the same fate. They come. They lose themselves. And eventually, they become so lost, they die.” She looked up and stared directly at the child. “And the same will happen to you if you leave. Which is why you must stay.” 

The child furrowed their brow, holding onto the straps of their knapsack. They stood, walking with haste towards the front door. Toriel, taken by surprise, hurried to get to her feet. As they walked out of the door and out onto the sandy ground. Toriel grabbed the child by the arm, not furiously but with a firm grip. A gentle breeze passed as Toriel said, “Please… please come back inside. A child doesn’t deserve to become lost…” The child stood for a moment hesitating. But they jerked their arm forward, continuing their march forward. Toriel furrowed her brow, shouting out, “Where do think you will end up? Because you obviously have no idea where you’re going.” They remained silent, trudging on; still holding onto the straps of their baggage. 

Then, suddenly, Toriel shifted her foot in the sand, the entire ground becoming flat and resistant. The surface might as well have been concrete. The child gasped sharply, turning to face Toriel. “Well… if you are going to leave… then you must prove yourself. Prove to me that you can stand these vast valleys and unyielding hills!” She stated sternly.

 

The child seemed boggled by this display, but they did not falter in their stance. They turned to face Toriel, both brows raised as a furious inferno came rushing their way. The child dodged the barrage quickly and only felt the heat that radiated from the attack. It being their turn, they stood their ground and refused to return any sort of violence. They simply gazed, standing defensively; with a kind look in their eyes. Toriel dismissed this, preparing the next assault. This time an arc of sand came barreling towards them. With a mixture of blistering flame, the turf melted into shards of glass. Startling the child, they hit the deck, covering their eyes with their arms. Splintering pain was sent through the back of the juvenile’s scalp. But it did not put them in enough disarray to stay down. They regained stability, putting up their front as a human; unwilling to fight just to prove they can make their way through this world. 

The fight went on for nearly an hour longer, the atmosphere filled with unrest and distress. The child, unwavering in their evasion and diplomacy, spared Toriel at any given moment when they could. And even with their newly acquired scars, the juvenile stood strong. At this point, Toriel couldn’t bear attacking this child anymore. She prepared to launch another attack, but delayed it and allowed the flames to burn out entirely. She sighed and the earth relaxed itself, becoming loose once more. Toriel was breathing unevenly. Overexertion was written all over her face and soon, she stood calmly. “Please… I know there isn’t much for you here… and I know you want to return to where you once belonged to. But we can live here in peace. In happiness…” She said, smiling brightly. They sniffed in slightly, shaking their head. 

*They said they knew it couldn’t be this way.

Toriel felt a tremor go through her frame and her smile faded. “Why do you have to make this so difficult? Please… come inside.” She pleaded. However, her focus diverted past the child, she gasped cursing under her breath. “My child! The storm!” She warned, pointing out towards the rushing cloud. But before the two of them could take action, the sandstorm covered them, limiting the chance they had at finding each other. “Come to me, my child!” She shouted out into the swirling winds. But her voice did not carry far enough and was wry trying to reach them. In all reality however, they were just focused on staying in the same place. The storm could only last for so long, and bumbling about would only make things more difficult. They did their best to not mind the sand filling their boots, but something else was there… something was calling. It was the same presence that tried to summon them the night before. They lifted their head, squinting at what beckoned… and the sight was frightening. 

A child, wrapped tightly in linen excepting for their jaw, mouth and bits and pieces of hair that peeked out from their head. And behind them was a monster, lanky and thin. His face was scarred and worn. One significant scar was above his right eye and another scraped down his left cheek. The linen child stretched out their hand to the other child, palm facing the sky and they smirked. The farther paused, most likely giving themselves a chance to think. But as they chose to stay still, a bony hand grasped them from the fog and its owner warped them out of the dusty tempest.


	2. Vagabonds and Paladins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Skeleton Brothers, Papyrus and Sans, seemed to be quite the duo. But, don't be fooled, they aren't as close as one would think. Frisk is transferred from the care of Toriel to the care of these two bony siblings.

The child had found themselves out of the grunt of the storm, eyes staring out onto the blank desert yet again. The sand still shifted with the wind. However, it traveled calmly. The sun was a distant memory as wonderful shades of purple and orange were painted across the sky. Their eyes… showing fear and confusion. The child looked like they might have just been pulled away from the grasp of death. Not noticing until now, the hand was still upon their shoulder. Flicking their head to see Sans staring back at them, his eyes smiled from his cheeks. 

“hey kid. looked a little lost out there.” He said in his casual tone of voice. The child immediately ran to take hold of the skeleton, minding the rib cage and embracing him with fear holding onto them. Sans almost recoiled, flinching in a panic. He appeared surprised by the sudden hug, patting their back. “kid, kid. come on, ‘nough of that.” He insisted after a few more seconds of the shiver-filled hold. Once kept away at arm’s length, Sans asked, “you alright? it looks like you saw a ghost or somethin’.” The juvenile stared at him, their breathing becoming steady. Sans sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “hey... that storm’s not dying anytime soon. might be a good idea to head over to my bro’s place.” He said, looking out towards where the sun had set to the right if them. He nodded that direction saying, “we’re pretty close, just about a mile away. it’ll be the only house out there, you can’t miss it.” The child began to set out, but they slowed their pace only after a few moments. They turned to face Sans, stopping in their tracks. They noticed Sans wasn’t following them. And by the look on their face, it unnerved them to think that Sans wasn’t going to. He dipped his head down, sitting in the warm sand. “don’t worry, kid. i’ll keep an eyesocket on ya.” Sans chuckled, lifting his head back up. His eye didn’t smile from his cheek. But before any doubt could be filled in the child’s mind, the amusing skeleton gave a wink. “bet on it.” He assured, sprawling out onto the sand. They squinted their eyes. They smiled as they breathed sharply through their nose and sighed. 

Turning back around, they stuck to a straight-forward path and exhibited confidence and trust with their march. In fact, they found glee as they traveled, admiring the sky as stars slowly peaked out from their hiding places. It started out as a small arrangement, a few voices pushing through the blue. But it did not take long for the rest of the symphony to come forth. Oh how those stars bled through! Far and near, they littered themselves boundlessly! With the bright lanterns strewn across the sky, the child’s expression could be none other than awe. Two seas were before them, and the two seas almost fought to capture their attention. 

Before long, the juvenile saw the destination come into view. A small hut, similar to the caretaker’s, could be seen. Two torches were posted by the door. As well as two individuals, speaking to each other… the child paused a moment, trying to depict the two beings. They picked out one, easily identifiable as Sans. But the other one was new. From where they were standing, he was wearing a gray overcoat with red trim. Underneath the coat was an orange scarf; layered. And behind that, a strange sweater-like top that cropped just to where his ribcage couldn’t be seen. His pants were similar to Sans’ but a color same to the base color of his shirt: a soft tan. The shirt had vertical red stripes and an emblem on the near the bottom center. The child took a few steps closer in order see the details of the emblem, but it was hard in the dark. The longer they lingered unannounced, the more they risked being seen. They even picked up a bit of conversation. “As I was saying about the Undyne…” The stranger stated before looking out to where the child was. They’d taken to long and the skeleton had spotted them. Soon afterward, Sans followed suit. But instead of being angry or threatened, the other was surprised and almost ecstatic. He turned, facing away from the child, giddly patting Sans shoulder for a moment. 

"Sans!! Oh my spirits!! Is that a human?!" the regal asked in excitement. The two of them turned around and Sans stared out at the shadowy figure. 

"Could be, Pap. Could just be that cactus again." Sans muttered, tilting his head. 

"Oh..." the skeleton murmured in disappointment but stared out again with conviction. He nudged Sans roughly and shouted, "Sans! Cacti don't have faces!" 

"Oh yeah." Sans said, scratching his left temple. 

The taller cleared his throat and declared, "Human! There is no need to fear!! I, the Great Papyrus, have rescued you from the grasp of the capital!" They looked puzzled, wondering what Papyrus meant by 'capital' exactly. Before they could ask, Papyrus continued on. "But not without a price! By law, I am obligated to advise our Sultan of any human that ends up here. However, I believe in giving chances to all creatures with a fair evaluation!" The child listened to this, crinkling their nose and taking a step forward. When their face was, quite literally, made to light, Papyrus confidently placed his tightly fisted hands on his hips. 

*They asked what the evaluation was.

"Why a riddle of course! Solve it and I will house you for as long as you see fit! Fail to do that, and I will be forced to turn you in!" Papyrus explained, nodding his head at the end of it. The child let out a noise somewhere between a giggle and a hum, agreeing to Papyrus' whimsical condition. Papyrus cleared his throat. "Three lives, have I! Gentle enough to soothe the skin, Light enough to caress the sky, Hard enough to crack rocks." He stated assertively.The child blinked slowly, confounded by the riddle almost to the point where they had to rub their head in order to think. Their young mind was probably swirling around, wondering what it might be. Papyrus let out a hearty laugh, it being almost nasally. “Nyeh-heh-heh!! A tricky riddle indeed! But the answer is so sim-”

*They said the answer was water.

Papyrus was baffled by such a quick input, his eye sockets wide. He took a moment, stammering quietly, before speaking. “T-... That’s correct! Human, you out of all of the people I’ve tested, you have surpassed even my expectations!! Then again, the only other person I’ve given riddles to is Sans.” 

“Hey, I’m pretty good with riddles.” Sans chuckled, grinning at Papyrus from underneath his scarf.

“You take hours to solve them!! And the entire time you’re trying to think of the answer, you just make puns about it!” Papyrus shouted.

“Puns about the answer?” Sans mentioned, giving him a sideways glance.

“Ye-!” Papyrus uttered raucously, but stopped himself, realizing what Sans really meant. “I see… well that doesn’t make an excuse to tease me for literally hours!” Papyrus added. Sans shrugged, leaning backwards slightly. Papyrus turned back to the child. “Well, I am a skeleton of my word. From now on, my home is yours!” Papyrus said, bowing deeply and giving a flourish of his arm. The human giggled at his dignified behavior. Papyrus stood straight, stating, “A guest deserves a proper tour! Come!” Papyrus took the child's hand, taking them by surprise, and pulling them inside. The human took note that Sans had wandered off... yet again.

The housing was simple in design, similar to Toriel’s. An oil lamp resided in the center of the room, shining it’s light across the wall that continuously encircled the home’s shape. Two beds were placed opposite of each other, one significantly more kempt than the other. The child’s eyes beheld the vast collection of books Papyrus had as well. They sat in the back of the room; it was such an immense selection to choose from! The bookshelf was wooden. This was the first time they’d caught a glimpse of something that wasn’t stone or mineral. This was strange to them… but the touch of the smooth surface fascinated them. “That is my library! Feel free to pick up anything you’d like.” Papyrus said, standing at the other side of the bookshelf. They smiled, their eyes skipping across every title.

*They said they didn’t know what to choose.

“Oh! In that case, I recommend ‘Tales of the Mystic Serpent’. It’s quite the read!” Papyrus said, picking the thin book out from the study. He handed it to the child and they both took a seat on the tidy bunk. They opened to the first page and stared for a moment, sounding out the first words. There were points where they didn’t even read a word or two and eventually closed the book in shame. They tossed it to the foot of the bed. “Don’t be discouraged! You tried your hardest.” Papyrus spoke kindly. He got up and retrieved the novel. “This is a tough one for sure. But don’t fret! The Great Papyrus is an exceedingly avid reader!” Papyrus stated confidently. Opening the front cover, he began reading. 

“There once was young snake by the name of Petra. Petra was a pretty snake sought by many. Her scales were glittering with gold. Yes a gold snake! But Petra was as sneaky as she was beautiful.” Papyrus read, the child staring at the image the majority of the time. Eager to know, they spoke.

*They wondered where Papyrus learned to read so well.

“I learned it from the Caretaker of the Oasis: Toriel. She’s a sweet, kind soul! Taught me everything I know!”, Papyrus answered, stammering before adding on, “B-but that doesn’t mean I haven’t learned anything greater!! I’ve done plenty on my own.” The child didn’t seem bothered by this, but their mind was a subject they saw as important.

*They stated Toriel had taken care of them only a few hours ago.

“Yes, Sans and I were talking about that earlier!” Papyrus said, putting the book aside. “Actually… I want to talk to you about that before I continue the story!” He said with mostly false cheer. The child stared, grinning slightly.

*They asked what Papyrus would like to know.

“Well… Sans said that you did some sleepwalking during your stay. And when he pulled you out of the most recent storm, you were trembling in fear. Did you see anything that might have been the cause?” Papyrus inquired, tilting his head to the left. The child hesitated, looking off to the side somewhere.

*They said that a voice was calling them when they walked. And they described the two figures out in the sandstorm.

Papyrus was dead quiet as he gazed at the child. They noticed this piercing gaze and turned to face Papyrus. The silence was unnerving, causing the child to murmur nervously. 

*They asked what was wrong. 

He kept on his staring, leaning in closer to get a better look. Without warning, he pulled back and sat upright. He grinned wide saying, “Nothing! You are not lost, and that’s all I worried about!” The child was confused by this but before they said a word, Papyrus said, “Not only am I a scholar, but I can see how cognizant- er… how ‘alive’ someone is. I’m sorry, if there’s one thing I’m terrible at, it is explanation. I just know that through those eyes, I know that mind belongs to you.” The child was still somewhat confounded, shaking their head. Papyrus furrowed his brow, but changed his expression quickly. “No matter! I’m sure that it will come to you, as will your ability to read.” He proclaimed, clasping his hands together, “With that, off to bed!” The child groaned almost instinctively.

*They said that they weren’t tired.

“Nonsense! It is late and at night, you’re meant to sleep then!” Papyrus firmly replied, though it seemed like he’d be the one willing to stay up a few minutes longer. Perhaps he was a polar opposite to his sibling. They hadn’t gotten the chance to figure it all out. It’d only been a day, and nothing could have told them about the certainty of their return home. While different thoughts were swimming through their mind, Papyrus dimmed the lantern and stood beside the bed. “That is my cot…” He stated, scratching the side of his jaw. The child let the mattress be, moving over to the other one. They lay down on the lumpy pallet, trying to find comfort on this deformed place of rest. But it seemed impossible, they sighed staring at the ceiling. Papyrus began making himself comfortable on his own bed. 

*They said that they couldn’t sleep.

Papyrus rested there a moment before rolling over to look at the child. “I’m sorry about that. My brother just refuses to keep his side  
of the hut in order.” Papyrus muttered, the air in the room was quiet for a moment. Then he added, “You could sleep on my bunk with me! I don’t mind, not at all.” The child pondered about the idea, lying there. But they simply couldn’t rest properly with the option they had now. They slid off of the mattress, and crawled into the other cot. They tried their hardest in not making Papyrus uncomfortable, but the bed was only so large. They positioned themselves to the best of their ability, but Papyrus rested facing the opposite direction; his spine digging into the juvenile’s back. 

*They asked if Papyrus could lay the other way.

“Certainly.” Papyrus murmured, shifting his weight to face the same way the child did. A ribcage against the back of the child’s head wasn’t the most comforting feeling either, but it was better than where he was at before. The child blinked only for a moment or two before feeling a sense of fatigue washing over them. They yawned, shutting their eyes and breathing peacefully. 

***

The night passed quickly and there were no disturbances. Whatever the child saw out in the storm, neither of the the two figures wanted to bother them that night. The child took their time waking up, staring at the wall at the far side of the room for a few minutes before sitting up. With their toes barely kissing the ground, they noted that Papyrus was looking through a rather thick tome. 

*They asked what Papyrus’ was reading.

Papyrus must have been very deep into his studies, because at the sound of the child’s voice he startled. “Oh! You’re awake!” Papyrus said, closing the book. The child looked over to see what exactly what Papyrus was reading.

*They asked what “Paths of Peace” was about.

“Well, it’s pretty much what you’d expect a book like that to sound like! It’s an entire book on peace, idealism and actions to change the world for the better.” Papyrus explained, placing his hand on the front cover.

*They asked why he was reading it. They thought that stuff was for grownups.

“Everyone should be peaceful, the youth and the elderly alike!” Papyrus declared, a wide smile beaming from his face.

*They said that it was a noble cause.

“There’s a reason why they call me a paladin.” Papyrus said, boasting in himself a bit. He stood up and grabbed the book, remarking, “I just finished this volume and I must return it… I would hate to leave you alone, so would you care to join me?” The child nodded their head obligingly. It was quite evident they enjoyed Papyrus’ company. He snickered, holding the book close to his chest with both arms. “Great! You’re going to love Sandstone’s Atheneum.” Papyrus stated.

*They pronounced Atheneum as well as they could; in a questionable manner.

“A-the-ne-um. It’s just a big word for library. I’ll show you!” Papyrus stated, heading towards the door. The child made sure their knapsack was just the way they left it. After that, they followed Papyrus and checked to see how much water was remaining in their canteen. It being about a three-fourths of the way full, they nodded, closing its cap tightly. A few yards down the way, the child looked to Papyrus.

*They presumed that Sandstone was the capital and asked if they were wrong.

“Yes! Sandstone’s one of the largest cities in the Desert! It’s a very busy place.” Papyrus said, tapping the spine of his book. The child kept their eyes down to the ground. They stared down until something caught the corner of their eye. They flicked their head towards what grabbed their attention, doing their best to find out what made them focus so. But nothing was there.

*They swore to Papyrus that they saw something.

“Oh don’t worry. It was probably just a Whimsum. They’re so harmless, a fly would hurt them.” Papyrus affirmed, smiling at the child. 

*They wondered if Papyrus meant that it wouldn’t hurt a fly.

“Oh no, that’s the thing. They’d even run from flies! Shy little things.” Papyrus added, chuckling a bit. The child returned with a smile of their own before checking over their right shoulder just to confirm that was true. Truth be told… that was definitely not a Whimsum. It was a being that had been following them the entire time they’d been to Papyrus’ house. Whether it was curiosity or fear, the child stared for a few moments longer before looking straight ahead. 

It took a couple hours of Papyrus’ tales and a few readings from his book before they arrived close to what could be assumed to be Sandstone’s borders. It barely poked out through the sand as it was almost monotonous to the land. From a distance, the city could be seen surrounded by a flat plane. It was easy to spot the buildings, riddled in the city, that were simply just built as close together as possible. Congestion a given, the juvenile noted just how uneven all of the roofs were; implying that the city was built on a hilly and solid ground. The child looked at their bottle, shaking it to see that they’d nearly consumed the entire amount. It opened their eyes at the realization. It caused them a bit of discomfort. 

Papyrus glanced over his shoulder to find this discomfort, furrowing his brow in concern. “You’ve run out of water? That’s no good. You should preserve your energy!” Papyrus suggested, stopping momentarily. He kneeled in front of the child, looking back at them. “Hop on my shoulders.” He said, clinking his hand against his knee, “Just prop yourself up, I’m not that tall!” They weren’t too dubious about the offering. It’s likely that the thought of a skeleton carrying their weight didn’t cross their mind until they standing behind Papyrus. Frisk straddled his shoulders, and to their surprise, he lifted them with ease. They rose, out of the heat of the sand and from this position they could really breathe. The air was less tense and felt wonderful to the child. Papyrus stepped forth, his stride true and mighty. He walked with almost no effort and even dipped his shoulders alternatingly to keep them amused during their ride. They giggled with joy, staring forward until Papyrus interrupted suddenly.

“Human, would you mind putting your hood on?” Papyrus asked in a more earnest tone. They tilted their head to the side.

*They asked why they should put their hood up.

“Well… some of the people here aren’t as kind to humans you’d think. It’s a little dangerous to go flashing your face around town.” Papyrus murmured, giving off an aura that he was highly saddened by such a thing. The child frowned slightly and complied, pulling their hood down over their eyes. Their hair shielded the top half of their face from view. The idea of lifting their scarf onto their nose came to them and they did this as well. The two of them were approaching the front gates, two guards standing at the entrance. The human impulsively tucked their hands into the sleeves of their jacket, feeling smaller than ever. 

Two guards, both armed with hand-axes, stood to block the path of any troublesome travellers. Their muzzles were dog-like and their fur white. By the look of their pale brown attire, a simple selection of fallow slacks and an even paler brown cargo jacket, they weren’t dressed for combat. These two didn’t even seem to mean any harm. “Dogamy and Dogaressa! How is your watch going?” Papyrus greeted, sending a small wave their direction. The two guards smiled slightly.

“It goes well!” Dogamy declared gruffly.

“No trouble at all.” Dogaressa hummed quietly. The dogs took note of the figure on top of Papyrus’ shoulders.

“Who’re you travelling with?” Dogamy wondered, raising his eyebrows and sniffing. He sniffed again and said, “They smell strange.” Dogaressa took a whiff of the air, nodding her head.

“They do smell strange.” Dogaressa agreed. 

With suspicion on the rise, Papyrus abruptly answered, “They’re a monster that recently fell down here! They’d been going on without care until I came along. I just wanted to introduce them to Asgore personally!” 

Dogamy took a few more sniffs of the human’s scent, the guard leaning forward, offset from his position. Dogamy muttered, “But… it almost smells--”

“They’re also quite overheated!! I found them almost unconscious so I must get them inside, quickly!” Papyrus stammered, gritting his teeth a little. The human sat idly, keeping their eyes down and mouth sealed. Their breathing, barely audible, was shuddering. The couple frowned a bit, Dogressa whining slightly.

“Oh, the poor thing! Honey, we can’t leave them like that.” Dogaressa said, gazing at Dogamy.

“Erm… alright then. I suppose we could let you pass. Would you like an escort?” Dogamy suggested lifting away the stone slab propped up in front of the gate. The human was aware that the slab should have caused at least a bit of struggle on the guard’s part. But he carried it with such ease that it was almost frightening. They did their best to contain the shiver of fear developing inside their body. The small sound of rattling reverberated from Papyrus’ frame. Noticing this, he chuckled nervously.

“N-no need! I know the way.” Papyrus assured, walking through the now open door. Dogamy smiled back, barking a laugh or two.

“Good luck to you two!” Dogamy grunted.

“And you also!” Papyrus stated, the sound of his shaking bleeding through. The two guards looked at each other, probably questioning the manner of the two they’d just let inside. Papyrus, with the human still on his shoulders, strolled in a nervous manner, finding a vacant alley amidst the bustling city. The child didn’t even get a chance to look at the faces that passed. To hear the voices that spoke. They could only focus once they were set down in a cramped roadway. “Alright… human, how are you doing, fine?” Papyrus whispered, getting to their eye level. The juvenile took a moment, but eventually nodded. They sighed, their eyes looking about the roughly built buildings. The foot traffic was small, but the few citizens about didn’t seem to pay too much attention to their quiet conversation. “Okay good. Then what was that. That… shaking.”  
They looked at him, furrowing their brow.

*They said they were just scared. They asked if Papyrus had ever been scared before. 

Papyrus snickered haughtily, “Nyeh-heh! Nothing frightens The Great Papyrus! Well… almost nothing, but nevermind that.” The human laughed, making a bit of fun out of him. Papyrus griped at them half-heartedly before joining in on their laughter. Standing up tall, Papyrus took in his surroundings, the buzz of the bazaar echoing against the walls of the town. Just standing there, the human could really see just how well the buildings integrated with each other. There was a sense of organized business in it all. Just by the way the citizens carried themselves, they could tell that the people truly belonged. Everyone was so comfortable with one another; civilians who seem to be strangers greeting each other like family. But, by the facial expression the child gave, the skeleton could tell they were distressed. “Oh don’t worry your little head, little monster. You’ll fit right in!” Papyrus swore, without any doubt in his voice. He set out from the alley, and they followed behind him. Eyes would glance only occasionally, but for the most part everything was going smoothly. Both of them walked around for a few moments before the human spoke.

*They asked how long Papyrus had lived here.

“My whole life!! For as long as I can remember, Sans and I have been here ever since we were baby bones.” Papyrus answered, taking a small breath in and out, “It’s changed so much in the last few years. It used to be so quiet and now look. Purpose has been given to everyone! But you could say I miss how small this city used to be.” As he spoke, the Atheneum came into view. Its doorway was towering; large stained glass windows added color to the otherwise barren walls of the establishment. Papyrus used an immense amount of force to open the stone doors, a rush of cool air making their hood begin to slip. The human put a hand to the top of their head quickly, keeping the garment where it was intended. They both stepped inside and Papyrus shut the door. The child gaped at the ceiling. They tried to find it, but there wasn’t anything to find. No light seemed to touch it; that was how tall this building was. The occasional voice would carry across the vast walls, echoing until it faded out just to bump into another. Chandeliers of iron dangled from the darkness of the ceiling, illuminating the bookshelves that were scattered across the place. Some were stuffed with tomes of knowledge, others were waiting to be filled. And all of them, from where the child could see, had the thickness similar to the book that Papyrus was carrying with him at the time.

He pressed an index finger against non-existent lips, their gasping getting a little out of hand. They shushed themselves and traveled behind Papyrus as he made it to the front desk. A monster with foggy glasses sat there, taking care of the spine on a book. It seemed that’s all she was doing that day, stacks and stacks of books to her right. Papyrus cleared his throat, catching the attention of the librarian. She blinked, being dragged out of her trance. She turned to face the two of them, a small grin growing on her face. 

“Papyrus. You’ve returned.” She spoke, a frail voice belonging to such a gentle soul. Papyrus nodded, acknowledging the tome he held. 

“With the 2nd Volume! Quite a read. I’m here to return it and grab the third on my way out.” Papyrus stated, walking off to the larger shelves in the back. Their eyes darted to look at Papyrus as he’d abandoned them for the most part. True, he should be gone for only a few minutes, but it didn’t make them any less concerned. The librarian noted the human’s presence, looking at them.

“And what of you, young one? I saw you come in with him.” She whispered, a small snicker slipping from her lips. Innocent laughter, aged and with a sense of mirth that gave them comfort. The child focused their attention onto the librarian before dipping their head down. They were quiet while twiddling their thumbs. “Don’t fret, you’re fine. Just go ahead to the children’s section, it's at the back left corner, past historical fiction.” She advised, pointing in the correct direction. They looked that way, giving a nod of confirmation.

* They thanked the lady.

The woman was puzzled, furrowing her brow at the child’s signing. It was the first time that they’d experienced someone here who hadn’t been taught how to sign. It probably sent their mind whirring, but they ignored the feeling. They took their time, passing titles that reflected the city’s past. Tales of woe, triumph and terror. It seemed that most of the documents here were for record keeping. The child began skipping along and soon made it to the corner of the atheneum. A few tables and chairs were set out, with books of different kinds stacked on top of one another instead of placed inside of shelves. This confused the child. Treating books in such a way seemed almost unlawful. But staring at the condition of the books and their content, this section was simply meant to amuse little ones while their caretakers were off elsewhere. There wasn’t anyone to talk to. Nobody, other than a child who sat at the farthest table, keeping to themselves. The human walked over to the kid, a soft grin on their face. 

The monster was surprised, they jumped in their seat and let out a muffled yelp. The human suspected a pair of hands to come up and cover the monster’s face, the other seemed so frantic. But there was none. No hands or arms belonged to this child. The human frowned, staring at the monster’s torso. 

“Hey! What’s up?” Monster Kid whispered excitedly, his reptilian tail whipping about underneath his seat. They brought their eyes back on Monster Kid’s face, giggling once a bit nervously. “I haven’t seen your face around here before. But I can tell you’re a kid just like me! You got that striped shirt on, you must be.” They addressed, nodding at the human. They looked down at their shirt and smiled patiently. “Check this out! This story’s pretty funny.” They walked over to look at the book Monster had picked out. They took note of the king, his people and the mice in the story. The story progressed, and the human chuckled nodding their head. They appeared to know this story. 

*They talked about how the king ordered the people not to laugh to get the mice to flee.

Again, Monster Kid was another person that didn’t understand what the human was trying to convey. They dismissed it, chuckling. As they continued through the pages, he noticed that Monster Kid wasn’t reading a single word, but stared at the pages’ illustrations. The juvenile pointed at a few words on the page. Monster Kid chuckled once, shrugging off the child’s question. 

“I dunno what that says. But, yo, it’s alright! I just started learnin’ from Ms. Bunch, the librarian.” Monster Kid said, looking over to the side. Suddenly, Papyrus came over from the historical studies section, beaming to see the human interacting with Monster Kid. 

“It seems that you’ve found yourself a friend, hu...-little monster.” Papyrus stammered, raising both brows. They glanced at Papyrus before looking back to Monster Kid. 

“Oh, you’re leaving already? No fun.” Monster Kid grunted, pouting. Ms. Bunch looked over her shoulder, staring dead at them. “Sorry…” Monster kid hissed out, dipping his head down. The human gave a small wave, saying goodbye. The child eventually made it to Papyrus’ side, following him out of the library and out onto the streets. It was already midday, the heat beaming down onto the human as they wiped their brow. They stuck their tongue out for a moment before forcing it back in. It was obvious that they were parched. They tugged on Papyrus’ jacket, causing him to look down. “Yes, what is it?” 

*They said they were thirsty. 

 

Suddenly, Papyrus’ smile faltered and he replied, “There… there is no water here.” The human tilted their head, confused by the statement but Papyrus continued to explain, keeping his voice low. “There’s been a drought for quite some time now. It’s been hard, but the Sultan has kept us with what he can give in his castle. The only source of water… in the entire Desert.” Papyrus declared, staring at the child the whole time he said this. It was another piercing gaze from his escort, implying that Papyrus was trying to tell more than he was saying. The child wondered about the oasis that they’d met Toriel at. There seemed to be plenty of water there. They were going to ask, but a guard passed the two of them, causing the human to fall silent. When the guard was out of range, Papyrus said something peculiar.

“I know! I’ll tell you about it back at my house. Come on.” Papyrus said excitedly, his expression back to it’s cheery self. The human followed behind him, still showing signs of uneasiness. They stared at the ground, moving briskly and clenching their hands in tight fists. Their breathing was shaky, but they focused on sticking behind on Papyrus trail. If they were good at anything, it was being quiet. Papyrus went back to the main road, before slowing his pace. The human did so as well, wondering what Papyrus saw ahead. It was seemed like a platoon of guards. At the head of this line, stood a brave soul, her eyes seething with malice and hair put up high. She was wrapped in a protective linen, it covering her entire body along with a white layered top and slacks cut off at the knees. It looked like something that would be very claustrophobic on the average human. But with that strange device around her mouth, circulating water, it seemed like it was required. Papyrus didn’t turn to them, but muttered, “Human, go deeper into the city and find Sans. Quickly now!” 

They hesitated at first, however acknowledged the sense of danger that existed. They stepped back, merging into the busy crowd behind them. Solemnly bumping into strangers, the human moved rather quickly, diving into the bazaar’s busy walkways. Their entire posture spelled out discomfort, now that they were alone. The stress seemed to work in keeping them moving, but they thought rationally. They avoided guards for the most part, only having the occasional glance between the ironclad bystanders. The decorum and overall atmosphere of the people were something that the child could all but appreciate.

Without warning, something took them by the wrist, pulling them into a vacant store. They pulled them to the ground and forced them to crouch. They breathed unsteadily, looking up in desperation of finding their captor’s eyes... They relaxed, hearing Sans’ voice. 

“What’s the matter, kid? Did’ja get lost or something?” Sans chuckled, the light in his eye soft in appearance. They furrowed their brow, holding onto Sans’ ulna tightly. Sans gritted his teeth behind his mask, patting their hand. “Hey, hey, calm down. Where’s Pap?” He muttered, squeezing the child’s other hand. It was obvious that they were hurting him. They let go, breathing a little more easy. 

*They said they were close to the gate when a lot of guards showed up. They said Papyrus told them to find you. They asked if Papyrus was going to be okay.

“Papyrus’ll be fine. He and Undyne are tight, don’t worry about it.” Sans said, keeping his head low behind the counter. The human wondered why they hadn’t stood up yet, but they weren’t going to ask. Sans got to his feet after a few moments, and they did the same. The walkways were riddled with carpets and cushions. The smell of incense filled the air with a subtle sweetness. “Hey kid… while things die down at the front gate, I’ll take you over to Grillby’s.” Sans said, looking back at the child. They stared at him with slight earnest, but in all reality, they were probably just thinking about their situation. There was a sense of… deviance that leaked into the child’s mind. “Here, I know a shortcut.” Sans muttered, walking into a small alley between two marquees. The human trailed behind him, but before they could grasp actuality they were already in what one would assume as Grillby’s.

The atmosphere was warm The crowd kept to themselves for the most part, but they didn’t seem the type for open conversation. Some were tattered and dirty, others wore uniforms of the royal guard. But the guard didn’t even give the human a glimpse. It was strange to them. Sans stepped forth, heading over to the bar at the back of the restaurant. With them following behind, the human hopped onto a stool. Sans was alongside them, at the neighboring seat. But that’s not the child was paying attention to. The blazing being in front of them, a fire elemental, was busying striking up a conversation with a couple at the end of the bar. His demeanor was collected, that was a given. But for some reason he seemed… brighter than one would might think. The way he carried out his orders, the gleam in his eye. He was an untroubled spirit as he was calm. The bartender, who could only be assumed as Grillby, then focused his attention on the two patrons that had recently sat before him. 

“.....What’ll it be?” Grillby murmured, a wispy and dark voice emitting from his head. Sans looked at the human, giving off a small chuckle. Their focus wasn’t directly on Grillby, as it almost hurt their eyes to stare for too long. 

*They asked for lentil soup. 

 

Grillby’s immediately were directed towards Sans. Sans took the queue, responding, “The kid wants your soup special. I’ll just take some fish with a side of chermoula.” Grillby nodded, taking no spare time to get into the kitchen, most likely to keep the order fresh in his mind. The child turned to face Sans. 

*They wondered why Sans, and even Papyrus, knew sign while a lot of monsters here didn’t. 

“Hm?... Oh yeah, Toriel taught us a couple years back. She said it might come in HANDY.” Sans replied, signing the last word. This made them smile, comforting them to know that they could just start conversations with the skeleton brother whenever. They sat there a few moments, quiet and Sans decided to speak up. “So kid… this has been itching at me for a while now. But… I knew you saw something out in that storm.” He murmured, facing straight forward towards the back of the bar. The human gazed at the table with their elbow resting on the table. They finally mustered up the courage after a few moments. 

*They say they didn’t know what to do. They weren’t sure what they’d do.

“Well, I don’t think those two didn’t have the best in mind for you, eh?” Sans asked, the joints in his wrists scraping as he sat in almost the same position of them. They stared blankly for quite some time before asking Sans quietly. 

*They asked who those two were.

“A couple of bad eggs. But as long as you don’t go wandering off at night, you should be just fine.” Sans explained, rolling his eye over to view the child, breathing calmly. There was an manner of coldness about them, causing Sans laugh for a moment. “Things’ll turn out fine. No need to be so gloomy.” Sans chuckled, almost nervously as Grillby returned with their food. Sans gave the elemental a nod before Grillby went back to work. They perked up a bit, seeing that soup was made well. They took in a spoonful, smiling as the soup settled. Once they were in between bites, they moved onto another subject.

*They wondered about Papyrus’ relationship with Undyne.

“Well, kid, that’s where things get complicated. Don’t get me wrong, Papyrus and Undyne have the closest thing to friendship. But because of the way Pap thinks, Undyne only has civil relations with him.” Sans explained, motioning the bottle of chermoula their direction. “Want some?” Sans offered, grinning behind his scarf.

*They said they didn’t even have any fish.

“Fish?” Sans chuckled, downing the whole bottle of chermoula soon afterward. The child blinks at the sight of Sans drinking the marinade straight from the bottle. It would come across as strange for anyone, but for some odd reason it almost comforted them.

*They asked what Pap thinks about compared to Undyne.

Sans and Grillby exchanged a glance before the room got a bit quieter. “All those books that he has, y’know? He’s a bookworm at it’s finest and tries really hard in his studies. But he doesn’t go to school; it’s not like that. Anyways, he focuses solely on peaceful morals and decision making. To the point where… he doesn’t see any reason to have a royal guard in the first place. If only people were as cool as him… ” Sans stated, shrugging his shoulders, “I guess I could see a good reason to stand on that point, but people aren’t just gonna stop bein’ needy, y’know? Especially since the drought started a few months back. People have been taking it well so far, but there’s only so much they’ll be able to take.” When Sans mentioned the drought, the human began to feel worried. They were still dehydrated and behind their hood it definitely showed.They were bereft and feeling a little weary...

*They asked when they’d be able to drink again.

Sans cleared his throat, putting his one cloth-clung hand over the other barren one. He muttered, “You’ll get another drink soon enough. I’m sure Pap’ll take you to a source by mid-day. I’m shore of it.” They huffed slightly, scratching their arm. But they couldn’t stay distraught forever. The human grinned again, catching an off-hand comment as Sans hopped off of the stool. “It’s been fun, but I got places to be. Could you foot the bill? It’s just 10000G.” Sans chuckled, his hands stuffed in his pockets. They looked awestruck, facing Grillby quickly before looking back to Sans. They shook their head aggressively, their laughter breathy. “Just kidding.” Sans chortled, glancing at Grillby on his way out and continued with, “Just put it on my tab.” The bartender side-eyed Sans before wiping away at the glass in his hands. Sans was already outside before the child even motioned to get out of their seat. They were hesitant, but it was negligible. They were technically set to find Papyrus on their own, but they were dumb enough to just waltz into a trap. They thanked Grillby for the meal with a nod and headed outside back onto the busy streets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last Updated 7/06/2016, 9:58pm (+6:00 Central Time)


	3. Take up your spear, human!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk has come face to face with Undyne! This warrior stands strongly to protect her people and to free them from this prison. Against the determination of an ENTIRE race, how will this end?!

Part 3  
Take your Spear, Human! 

At the sight of this, they recognized the arches of the hallways as the passageways of the Bazaar. They towards the busier parts of the marketplace, weaving in and out of crowds as they passed. This feeling of being misplaced crawled down their spine yet again. But this time they were truly alone. They stayed calm for the most part and eventually mustered up the courage to talk to a shopkeep. They tip-toed over to the front of a small confectionery. The shopkeeper didn’t notice them right away, but her rabbit ears twitched at the sound of them tapping on the counter. She was facing some of the supplies in the back just to turn and revealing a glint in her eyes. 

“Well hey there little rascal. What can Cinnamon Bunny help you with today?” She asked, crossing her arms gleefully. The child began to sign, but paused at the off-chance that this was yet another person who couldn’t understand that form of communication. The child acted out their actions, holding onto their throat with one hand. With the other hand, the pressed their index finger over their mouth, mimicking mumbling sounds gruffly. “Oh… you can’t speak? Is that the problem?” Cinnamon Bunny whimpered, most likely frightened at the thought. The child shook their head, thinking of what else they could do to ask for what they needed. They imitated the action of writing on paper with their hands and Cinnamon Bunny soon grasped onto what they were saying. “Tell me through writing? Alright…” She murmured, digging through a box from behind the counter. She pulled out a few sheets of a strange waxy substance and a piece of charcoal. It would do. The child wrote out the words, “Front Gate?”, and turned the paper around for the shopkeeper to see. She nodded, leaning out of her stand to point out towards the left. “Head down the hall and take the second right. Then find the main road. It shouldn’t be too hard to miss from there.” She described, propping herself on the counter as she continued to lean. They nodded, still holding the piece of charcoal in their hands and walking off. “Hey!” Cinnamon Bunny shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. The child flinched, turning back around slowly. 

“You might as well take the rest of these too.” She noted, holding up the pieces of strange paper, “I just got a shipment today. I don’t mind missing a few if it means someone can talk to the rest of the world!” They rushed over, smiling wide. During their rush however, their hood slipped off of their head, blowing the little cover they had. Cinnamon Bunny’s stare soon became a glare. The child’s eyes widened, comprehending what just happened. Suddenly, swiping the sheets and jamming them along with the charcoal into their knapsack, they sprinted off down the hall. “A human?” The words almost hissed out of the seller’s mouth, she was so shocked. 

 

 

A small clamor built as they made their way through the souk. They were frantic, noting the amount of guards that had begun chasing them. It was a pack of 3, at the head a dog that’s wore a pink tank top and cheetah-print pants. They only caught a glimpse of him before they got back to their speedy pace. They vaulted over a crate of some type of flax to cut a corner and found themselves out of the bazaar. They sprinted down the main road before taking a gander at the front gate. A sense of relief fell over them only for a moment, before they shook their head. That couple at the gate most likely kept it shut. There wasn’t any free passage in and out of town… they were trapped. They skid to complete stop, gritting their teeth. Soon enough, they were encircled; the crowd of the busy streets intrigued. The human stared at the guards fearfully until a hearty voice shouted from the crowd.

“Halt!” The guard called, shouting from somewhere in the crowd. Her crimson hair eventually peaked out as the masses parted. It was that bold guard yet again, this time showing a grin and scowl behind those bandages. Papyrus had been trailing behind her.

“Undyne, please don’t hurt them!” Papyrus shouted with an outreached arm. Undyne snapped, flicking her head his direction. 

“Paladin, this matter has nothing to do with you.” Undyne replied, motioned towards the general populous, “The lot of you! Return home!” The people didn’t think twice about it, fleeing the scene. The guards took their leave as well and a bell tolled in the distance, which for some odd reason set Papyrus into disarray. Papyrus was the last to leave the scene, crossing sights with the child before he went sprinting into the bazaar. 

“Seven souls… seven souls is what’s needed to leave this wretched wasteland. To free our people not only from this drought but from imprisonment. For too long, we’ve been oppressed by the likes of you, and for there must be repercussions.” Undyne protested, pointing at them. They gasped in, not knowing how the actions that they’ve committed could have possibly related to that of an entire race’s idealism and development. They did their best to explain themselves, but they couldn’t even get to say a thing before Undyne shouted, “ You are standing in the way of everyone’s hopes and dreams! Alphys’ and Papyrus made me think that humans were cool. But YOU! You are just a coward, and nothing more!... I feel everyone’s heart beating as one. And so…” She pressed her hands together before stretching them outwards, summoning a spear from thin air. She took grasp of the blue bolt and tossed it to them. It clanged against the ground at their feet, causing them to jump. They stared at it, then back up at Undyne. “Take your spear, human! I’ll show you how determined monsters can be!” She roared, unsheathing a steel pike from a sheath upon her back. She flourished it before gripping it tightly in her right hand; it tucked under her arm. Without warning, their feet were planted and the area wavered, visibility becoming dim. For the time being, there really was no escape!

The human finally picked up their given weapon. She shouted, “En guarde!” And the battle was set. The child stood up straight, pulling their scarf down from their face to reveal a genuine smile. 

*They said they were sparing Undyne.

“So you think I’ll let you go just because you refuse to fight? Not a chance! Until you learn to face danger head on, you won’t last a second against me!” Undyne said, reaching up towards the sky. A handful of spears fell from the sky, plummeting down to the earth. They were unable to dodge the projectiles, so they did their best to block each spear. None got through their defenses, but it was nothing more than a test for the next onslaught. Undyne extended her right arm behind her, forming a spear to come barreling down the child’s way. They kept the clutch on their weapon firm, fending off the spear with a solid strike. Though this caused an ache in their wrist, they stood as if nothing happened. On their turn, they held up their calm and somewhat docile behavior, tilting their head. Undyne winced, balling her hands up in a fist and slamming them on the ground. She summoned another barrage of pikes, the projectiles showering down like a hail from another world! They rapped away at the bolts; hitting them light enough so that the momentum simply deflected them to either side of them. The human struggled to find the spear heading straight towards them, however, but the trapped feeling at their ankles was gone. They dodged the speeding javelin, rolling to the side. 

It took a few moments to realize that they were free momentarily. True, their back was scathed by Undyne’s weapon, but once it hit them, they sprinted directly behind them and towards the door. “Hey! Get back here!” Undyne screamed, taking after the child. They crossed a line that led into shade and then stuck to the city wall, searching for another exit. They rushed across the cobblestone street as fast as their little feet could carry them, but with a glance over their shoulder, it was obvious that they weren’t going to beat Undyne in this foot race. With the sentinel closing in on them, they could only see the impression of a ladder leading to the top of the walls. The surrounding area grew dark again and they were stuck in this plane once more. “Don’t think you can get away so easily!” Undyne bellowed with a hearty grin. 

*They pleaded that they didn’t want to fight.

*But nothing happened.

Undyne drew back her arms and forced them forward. A set order of spears came at the child, but they weren’t swayed. They deflected each bolt, as if they’d seen them coming before they were even casted! Undyne’s grin faltered reeled and she glowered. She was taken by surprise, but she didn’t break concentration in the slightest. Undyne grunted, pulsing her arm forward three times. This time, yellow spears came from all directions. The human gasped slightly, being extremely attentive now. Whether it was a parry or a direct block, they seemed to get a nice defense. However, a spear seemed to break through, coming from behind but changing its course just to strike them from the front. They leaned their body to the left, the pike scraping against their right set of ribs. They cried out, furrowing their brows at the sight. But, it was their chance again! Their range of sight became clear again, Undyne’s true spear flying in from the right. They hit the deck, shooting up to their feet once more and bolting to the ladder on the side of the wall. 

Undyne groaned with malice, chasing after them. The child frantically climbed, hissing through their teeth at the pain this caused them. Undyne was not far behind, but due to her weight and the human’s head start they were evenly matched with her. The human reached the top of the fortress’ walls, cringing at the blinding light of the sun. They had no time to lose! They ran far to their right when Undyne had finally made it to the top of the boundary. “NGHAAAAA!!!!” Undyne roared, sprinting so fast that men could swear she was tearing right through the stone. The human’s breathing grew with a crescendo until they met a corner of the wall. With a sharp intake of breath and leap of faith, they jumped over the wall!


End file.
